Snowflakes at Midnight
by Misamore
Summary: A retelling of the Meteor Quest, but...there's a new character! However, this character is so closely related to the story, she changes the whole quest... O_O Got some new character/Vincent romance goin' on, too! :D R&R! (Note: First two chapters are
1. Default Chapter

  
Story: What if Lucrecia had twins…instead of just Sephiroth? And no one knew…except for Hojo, mister mad scientist himself? How would the world be impacted with the Meteor Crisis?  
  
Chapter 1 - Beginning of life, to SOLDIER.  
  
Hojo drew back in surprise, blinking wildly behind his glasses. He had not expected twin children, especially a twin, which had completely eluded his scientific tools. Irritated, Hojo slammed his fist down on the counter, only causing the two babies to cry louder. Lucrecia, left dying in her room, barely had time to name the little boy. "Sephiroth," she had whispered, unable to continue, and passed out. The little girl, the fraternal twin of Sephiroth, was unknown to the sick mother, and she sobbed, softer than her elder brother, but still causing Hojo to have a splitting headache. "Damn it…" he whispered, rubbing his temples. There had been enough Jenova in Lucrecia's bloodstream for only one child, but for two? Then the Jenova line would be weakened. The alien had caused an extremely interesting experiment for one scientist, but this second child could ruin everything. A loud pounding was heard coming down the wooden staircase, dilapidated, and worn. Running footsteps were heard, and Hojo quickly pushed both babies behind some books, the noise of their crying suddenly mute in his mind. Pulling a gun from the inside pocket of his lab coat, he held it behind his back.   
"Damn it, Hojo! Where are you?" shouted a deep, angry voice. With a crash, the door to the laboratory in the downstairs of the Nibelheim ShinRa Mansion swung open. Vincent Valentine, the Turk from ShinRa swept into the room, his deep brown eyes blazing with hatred and fury. "You…monster! How could you! She's dead! Dead! Your wife! How could you kill her like that…how could you leave her? You could have saved her…you could have kept her alive!" the Turk raged, then ripped his gun from its holster on his side. Hojo, expecting this, said nothing, but quickly pulled his gun around to shoot the Turk in his left shoulder. The pain of the shot, as assumed, knocked Vincent out almost instantly. The scientist sighed, and kicked Vincent over, onto his back. He would live; which was good enough for Hojo's purposes.   
The mad scientist turned back to the two children, allowing the Turk to lose blood, thus rendering him weak when he awakened. The male…Sephiroth, cried abominably…however the female stared at Hojo, her eyes focused on the scientist. Slightly alarmed, and surprised, Hojo crept forward, keeping his eyes on the girl. She stared back. "I thought that babies didn't focus their eyes until much later…perhaps Jenova is much more advanced than at first believed…" Hojo whispered, scribbling something into his journal, still not taking his eyes from the girl. "Juno…" he hissed, the word forming like acid on his tongue, "I suppose you need a name…Jenova Under Nebulous Oddities…Project Juno." Thus marked the beginning of Project Juno.  
Juno grew up, subject to Hojo's torturous experiments, alongside of her brother. Sephiroth, although could do little, grew close to his sister, with no one else his own age around. Juno spent much of her time pacifying her brother, for he had a temper, and some of her time pacifying Professor Hojo, their caretaker. Apparently their caretaker had had no wish to deal with two unruly children, and seemed to resent them very much. But they had no other choice, and lived in a sleepy little town called Nibelheim. Or, at least, what little of they saw of Nibelheim, as they were rarely allowed outside of the dusty mansion. Spiders lurked in the corners of the mansion, and some monsters had even managed to find their way into the smaller, darker rooms of the house. But the darkest, most dangerous fear came from the children's fear of Hojo himself. Always seemed to leer out from the darkest corners, he always was ready to pounce on one of the children, and drag them off down into the eerie basement, with shots, and pills, and all kinds of weird painful things that would happen down there. More than once did Juno recall passing out in the basement, only to awaken upstairs, with her brother. But he never mentioned how she'd gotten there.  
Despite all the torture given to them by Hojo, Juno rarely felt threatened or panicked in Nibelheim. When she was old enough, she ventured outside the house to see what the outside was like. All the windows had heavy curtains in the house, and she was unable to really get a look outside…not that it mattered, really. Juno cared little for the life outside…all was green, and bright…much unlike the inside of the mansion. Stepping on a flower and grinding it with her toe, she grimaced at the scent of the air. The air reeked of Mako, and it bothered her with a headache. At the young age of twelve, soon to turn thirteen, Juno had felt different, even from her twin brother. Sephiroth watched her with curiosity, his face bright and eager. "Someone told me that we'd be leaving this place, soon, sister! We're going into a city…what do you think it'll be like?" he asked, almost breathless from excitement.   
Juno shrugged, and kicked the remains of the flower away, "We're going with Hojo…it won't get much better," she sat on the grass, picking blades out, and throwing them away. Sephiroth frowned at Juno's pessimism, "You were so excited a few days ago…and you haven't sang anything lately…what's wrong, Juno?" The young boy flicked his silver hair over his shoulder, it was longer than most boys were, or at least the ones they'd seen in the village. It reached greedily down to the middle of his back, and his bangs stuck out front, bouncing as he turned his head sharply to look toward the road leading out of the village. "I'm just not…excited…" Juno admitted, "I have a strange feeling…that we can't trust these people…they've been to nice to us…with the exception of Hojo," she added, bitterly. Sephiroth sat next to his twin, poking at a stray beetle, rushing for cover. "You can't have it all, you know…at least we're getting away from here…and I heard something…called SOLDIER. I wonder what that is…maybe there's more kids like us!" Sephiroth said, his aqua eyes glowing with dreamy thoughts. Juno just sighed, and leaned on her brother, "What if it's not…? I don't know…I feel…used…" she said, her eyes downcast.   
Dark, angry thoughts twisted around in her head, and Juno wasn't even certain they were her own thoughts anymore. Ancient anger, bitter hatred…it all swirled around. Little was certain anymore, especially since Hojo had been giving the children things lately. His normally frightening attitude had altered abruptly, since an urgent telegram had reached him. His usual cursing about the lack of decent technology had instantly changed into eager mutterings, as he'd read the letter. Juno, strapped to a table, twisting in pain from a recent injection of God-only-knows what medicine, focused what she had of her attention on Hojo, and caught words, "to Midgar…the Lab…both needed…Mako…SOLDIER." Juno felt Hojo's eagerness, and it twisted her stomach. Whenever he got eager, he always injected the children with something horrible and painful. Sephiroth had already finished whatever injections he'd been given, and was rubbing his arm, which was a horrible red. "I hate this…every day…" he was muttering, and looked up as Juno wandered over to him, "Don't you just want to run away…?" Juno kept silent…she had no reason to worry her brother over something she wasn't even certain about…but somehow she had the feeling she was being watched…or, even better, observed. It wasn't a good feeling.  
Sighing again, Juno continued to pull the petals off of a flower, which she just realized she'd been holding. Sephiroth watched her silently, uncertain of what to say, or do. Obviously, his sister was hiding something; he'd always been able to tell when she had. But lately, she'd been more and more moody, and quiet. Something was bothering her insanely, especially plants. She'd thrown a rock at a bird one day, hitting it, and breaking its wing. Sephiroth wasn't too pleased with Juno's carelessness of throwing the bird to the cat, but Hojo had seemed delighted in the evil act. What was up with her? Juno had used to sing for Sephiroth, especially one time when he'd been sick. This had been about a year ago, and Juno had always been making up little tunes to hum or sing as they played, but when Sephiroth had been sick, Juno had sat down right beside him, and taken care of him. More so than Hojo or any of the other nurses, which randomly came out from the lab to check their blood pressure and pull cells for DNA samples, as they'd said. But when he'd awoken, fever so high he was becoming delirious, he heard Juno's voice, singing softly, as she was taking a cool, wet cloth and bathing his face. She was so different now…and soon they would be leaving for Midgar, for ShinRa, and for SOLDIER.  
"Sephiroth! Juno! Come here!" shouted a voice from inside the mansion. Both children were pulled from their reminiscences, and drudged wearily up to the mansion. Sephiroth was giving his sister sidelong glances, and finally she noticed, turning her face towards him, and smiling. Cheered up significantly, both kids raced each other to the mansion, and pushed through the door, trying to make it into the great hall first. Hojo stood there, looking irritated at their antics, and frowned at them, looking ferocious. "As you both know, we're leaving for Midgar soon. It's a big city, and you won't be allowed to wander as freely as you can here. There are a lot of dangerous people there, so don't leave the ShinRa tower unless you are instructed to do so. But…you won't be needing protection, soon," Hojo said, ending with a laugh. The twins eyed each other nervously; Hojo's laugh was never a good thing. "And so," Hojo continued, glaring down at the children though his glasses, "you shall both be joining SOLDIER…it's a new elite training program. You two are going to be soldiers in ShinRa's SOLDER army…to prove all the work we have done will pay off. You two are dismissed…go to sleep. We're leaving tomorrow." Hojo walked away, heading back into the bedroom, which held the secret door to the basement. Juno swallowed nervously, what if she wasn't good enough to be in SOLDIER? Anxiety took over for a short time, forcing Juno to stumble into the room she and Sephiroth shared, and lean against the wall, sinking down into a kneeling position. Taking deep breaths, she closed her eyes and attempted to relax, unaware of Sephiroth's worried expression, as he walked into the room and saw his sister looking so traumatized. Silently, they both crept into their beds, and fell asleep, the next day drawing into chaos, as they were both shipped off into Midgar, central pollution in the world.  
  
(Author's Note: Yay! I actually started creating my Juno fic! :D I don't want to give any spoilers, but I hope this fic gets better...even I'm disappointed in the first chapter. Ooo...Juno's having issues already. *sigh* ^_^ R&R please? ~Misamore~) 


	2. SOLDIER and Requiem

Chapter 2 - SOLDIER, and Requiem  
  
Together, Juno and Sephiroth underwent various Mako treatments to give them heightened Materia powers. They spent the next ten years training, training, and training. Their skills increased tremendously, and they both found they had some natural knack for fighting. Sephiroth received a present from ShinRa himself; an enormous sword called the Masamune. When Sephiroth received the sword, he also received a promotion to a General. Juno, although as good of a fighter as Sephiroth, received no attention, and was cared for very little. The years hardened her, and bitterness overtook her already heavy heart. Killing became an easy task, and snuffing out one more life was nothing to her. Even Sephiroth became quite desensitized to all the death they caused, leading the army. Although Sephiroth was the general, and not Juno, he stayed by her side, and refused to accept anything, any kind of reward, without something for her. Thus, the twins were always together, and rarely parted. Even against Wutai, when they were forced to nearly decimate the Wutaiian army, one never left the other on the battlefield.  
Juno was truly the only woman in SOLDIER. Although there were rumors that other women had found ways to sneak in, Juno was the only known woman in SOLIDER. Juno, however, was given small, purposeless tasks. Her main assignment, usually, was to train the new SOLDIERS, while Sephiroth trained the older, more experienced SOLDIERs for battle. Even after Juno and Sephiroth had become generals, as Sephiroth had eventually forced ShinRa into allowing her to be one as well, they both continued their treatments with Hojo. At the age of twenty-four, Juno was called into Hojo's office. Usually, she only came at set appointments, so she called her class to a hold early, and left to meet Hojo. She walked into his white, sterile office, and regarded the man with disgust. Even though he had been their primary caretaker when she and Sephiroth were younger, she greatly detested the man; he was evil, and his experiments on his new species were often horrifying. Hojo glanced up from his desk, his normally white, pristine lab coat uniform was rumpled, and his hair a mess. Curling his lip into a sneer, he regarded Juno with interest, and beckoned for her to come closer.  
"I'm glad you came, General, I didn't think you could fit me into your…busy schedule," Hojo said, his teeth almost bared into a snarl. Juno watched him coolly; "You didn't ask me here for a chat. What do you want, scientist?" Juno despised scientists more than anything else and spat out the word like it tasted bad. She turned her head and glanced at the various chemicals in flasks, which littered the room. Snorting with disdain, she turned back to Hojo, who had begun to speak. "I called you here to ask if you would like to have some of the new serum we've just discovered…it will only work on certain individuals, and we believe you can use it. It is a life-sustaining drug, and will keep you ageless. Forever, I believe," Hojo said casually, his head resting on his hands, and his elbows on his desk. His grin continued, like a Cheshire cat's did, and he lifted a syringe with a puce-colored liquid inside. Juno's eyes narrowed, "I don't believe I shall be needing that…I have no wish to live forever, much less take any unnecessary drugs for the rest of my life." Hojo's eyes narrowed as she continued, "and I would not be willing to be the guinea pig for this test drug of yours." Hojo's eyes were small slits by the time she had finished talking, and he slammed on a buzzer on his desk. Before she realized it, large bodyguard men, probably borrowed from President ShinRa were holding Juno on both sides. She hissed, angrily, and glared at Hojo, but he simply walked up to her, and stabbed a syringe into her arm and injected the liquid. "I gave you a choice…but now I revoke it. Too bad, Juno," Hojo said, looking livid, and Juno passed out.  
By the time Juno came to, it seemed several hours had passed, as Juno was lying in her ShinRa provided apartment, and was staring straight up into Sephiroth's eyes. He blinked, and so did she, as she groaned and slowly sat up. Sephiroth looked slightly amused, his lips quirked up, and his eyes dancing, but his expression remained blank other than that. Juno looked around; she was sitting on the couch of the apartment, as Sephiroth watched her. Rubbing her temples, she tried to remember what happened after passing out, but thinking hurt, so she stopped, and just looked questioningly at Sephiroth. "I found you lying outside of your apartment. I'd heard your class had ended early, and you'd been summoned to see Hojo, so I came to see if you were back yet. Apparently you didn't go along with whatever Hojo had planned," Sephiroth said, gazing at Juno with his aqua eyes. Juno narrowed her eyes into small slits, irritated that she'd been so easily subdued, and furthermore, she felt rather ill.  
"Indeed. Hojo had some kind of age-defying drug he wanted to test on me. I refused, but he seemed to have planned on that, so he already had assistance. I'm guessing he went though with the drug, but at least it hasn't gone horribly wrong…if it hasn't killed me in the first five minutes, I think it can only make me stronger," Juno said, humorlessly. Sephiroth frowned, a face he often wore with the SOLDIERs, "I don't think you should have to put up with this anymore. Neither of us should. I'll be certain to tell ShinRa about this incident-" Sephiroth started, but Juno cut him off with a shake of her head. "We don't have a say remember? ShinRa owns us…don't ask me how. But I know they do. We owe them a lot, even Hojo, although I don't like to admit it," Juno stated, looking unhappy at her own words, but saying them nonetheless. Sephiroth also looked upset, but nodded in agreement anyway.   
That night, Juno lay on her bed, watching the ceiling. Her ShinRa apartment, uniform to all the other apartments, was painted in a slate wall-shade, with a gray carpet. While other apartments often held pictures of loved ones, and familiar items of childhood times, Juno's apartment remained the same as the day she had first moved in, six years before. The dresser, left dust-less by the maid, was nearly empty, save for a few outfits and the closet nearly the same. Years of careless caretakers and dangerous scientists prevented Juno from developing close relationships with anyone, and the threat of assassination left her paranoid. Juno lay on her bed, and reflected, her aqua eyes staring to the ceiling, flickering emotions passing in them. Stifling a yawn, she rolled onto her side, and stared out the window, placed right at the head of the bed. The moon lit down on the brightly-lit city, and Juno could see down into the slums, and see bars, filled with people. Never having picked up a taste for alcohol, Juno glanced at a filled bar with disdain in her eyes, then looked out over into Wall Market. Of course, it was filled with people, which looked like tiny, squirming bodies, let loose upon the land and destroying everything in its way. The HoneyBee Inn, lit so brightly it could be seen from the other side of Midgar, was obviously alive, and full of action.  
Despite the life outside, Juno felt rather empty. She sighed slightly, and shifted her weight on the bed, relaxing into more of a sleeping position. A warm wind blew through the open window into the room, reminiscent of the summer just gone past; ending with the upcoming frosts which would eventually freeze over Midgar. With the slowly chilling nights came the thoughts of an upcoming mission, taking Sephiroth to the town of Nibelheim. Juno cast her memory back, remembering very little of the remote town, other than Hojo's twisted experiments at the haunting mansion. Smirking, but shuddering at the same time, Juno recalled that Hojo's twisted experiments happened all through her life, not just the little town. Rubbing her arm, Juno frowned at Hojo's attack. Usually Hojo was a lot less forward with his experiments, preferring to get her permission first, and Juno knew how her seizures were without Hojo's "magical medicine." With angry thoughts, and painful memories, Juno swiftly fell to unconsciousness, swimming into the black void of sleep.  
Daylight came swiftly, and, as it seemed to Juno, moments later the sun was shining through the window, bringing another cool day. Groaning softly, Juno rolled over, hiding her head in her pillow. Suddenly, Juno sat up, blinking sleep from her eyes, and recalled that today was the day Sephiroth was taking a trip to Nibelheim. Rubbing her forehead, she sighed, wishing vainly to suddenly fall back into sleep; Juno went to get dressed and see her brother go.  
Juno eventually came to Sephiroth's apartment door. Unfortunately, ShinRa believed men and women should have separate apartments, so all employees had apartments either in Tower 1 or Tower 2. Where Juno had a small apartment in Tower 2, Sephiroth owned a Suite in Tower 1, custom designed, and with an excellent view of the outside. Irritation clouded Juno's mind for a moment, but at what she wasn't sure. Sighing, Juno knocked on Sephiroth's door, and waited for him to come out, his belongings needed for the trip already packed and on the truck he was riding in. He appeared quickly, and nodded to his sister, and they walked silently to the truck, which was out at the bottom of the tower, by the main entrance. Upon reachng the old truck, Sephiroth turned to Juno, his face as blank as always, with his usual hint of sarcasm.  
"Goodbye, General Juno. We shall return shortly. Have the recruits ready for battle when we return," Sephiroth said, curtly. Juno nodded, but a wave of foreshadowing swept over her. Shuddering suddenly, she felt sheer horror, which struck deeply at her heart. Impulsively, she lept forward, hugging Sephiroth tightly, and clung to him. Surprised, Sephiroth took a step back, but regained his composure, and hugged his sister. Juno slowly let Sephiroth go, and whispered to him, "Be careful. I am always here for you, elder brother. I love you."  
  
Those were her last words to him. Upon reflection, Juno realized she should have believed in her foreshadowing. Two weeks later, the word came that General Sephiroth had died. A battle in the Mako reactor they said, and he had fallen into the reactor after vanquishing his opponents. Broken, Juno became a scientist, vowing never to pick up her sword again, and disappeared from the prying eyes of the world.  
  
(Finally finishes Chapter II...did you like it? If you made it this far, it means you're a winner. Exactly. :B The story gets better from here, I promise. Really. Don't you believe me? R&R please~ ^_^ ~Misamore) 


End file.
